


Can't Sleep Without You

by Always_Dreaming



Category: MotoGP RPF, Motorcycling RPF
Genre: Angst, Dandrea, Family Problems, M/M, Pizza, airhead Marc
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-30
Updated: 2016-06-15
Packaged: 2018-07-11 04:12:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 6,560
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7028065
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Always_Dreaming/pseuds/Always_Dreaming
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Caution: Sleeping together can often lead to…well, sleeping together. Remember, despite Dovi’s calm, zen approach to life, he is still a passionate Italian…</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

The 2015 season

It was a warm April day at Jerez with not a cloud in the sky, so Dani and Marc were walking round the circuit taking a break from their team meeting.

“I’m going to win this race for sure,” said Marc airily, leaping up to touch a high branch of a nearby tree.

Dani frowned. “Not if I have anything to do with it.”

“Oh yeah, Pedrosa? You couldn’t catch me if I was a rabbit and you were a greyhound.”

Dani pushed him so he stepped off the path into the brambles. “I’ve got lots of tricks up my sleeve.”

“Like what?” Marc tried to pull up Dani’s sleeve to check for tricks but he pushed him away. 

“Isn’t that Dovi over there? Sitting on that wall?”

Marc shaded his eyes to see. “Yes, it is.”

“Let’s go and say hello.” Dani was a little tired of Marc’s exuberance and thought it would be nice to talk to an adult for a change. So he led his team mate over to the Ducati rider, who was studying a piece of paper.

“Hello Dovi!” said Marc cheerily, slapping the Italian on the back.

“Watch what you’re doing, idiot!” he snapped, clutching his paper to stop the wind blowing it away.

The two Honda riders stepped back in surprise.

“Sorry,” said Dani. “Were we interrupting?”

“Yes.” Dovi stood up and stormed off in the direction of the woods, obviously wanting privacy.

“Jesus,” said Marc. “That was rude.”

“That’s not like him at all.” Dani gazed after the retreating figure. “Did we overtake him unfairly in any races lately? Or make him crash?”

“No. Not that I remember anyway.” They continued walking their route back to the team office.

“Is there anything else we could have done wrong?”

“No. He’s just being rude. He shouldn’t behave like that, he—” Marc stopped and crouched down so suddenly that Dani nearly tripped over him. “Look! A coin! I could buy something with it!”

Dani smiled. “Yes, dear.”

“Don’t ‘yes, dear’ me. You’re not my mother.” He stood up, pocketing the coin with a satisfied grin. “What were we talking about?”

“Nothing. Never mind.” But Dani continued to worry about Dovi—he’d never snapped at anyone like that in the ten years he’d known him, even when they were team mates at Repsol. Not that Dani’s manager had allowed him to talk to the other riders, but those days were past now.

***

Dovi strode off at full speed towards the trees, his feet crunching on the dry grass and twigs. _Those bloody Honda riders! Acting like they should know everything about everything and poking their noses into my life. Or what’s left of my life. It’s ruined. This letter has ruined it, or rather the sender of the letter has. She’s taken everything from me._

He’d known for a while things weren’t right between them, but to do what she’d done? That had taken a colder heart than he’d thought she possessed. She’d always been the sensible one between them—she looked cute but there was a mind of steel behind the sparkling blue eyes and fluffy golden hair. But what she’d done…his mind short circuited at the thought, so he stopped thinking about it as he wandered around the wooded area. He’d been in sport long enough to be able to compartmentalise things, so he did that now—pushing the unwelcome subjects to the back of his mind and shutting the door firmly until later when he had time and desire to think about them. He ended up in a part of the track he didn’t recognise, so circled back towards the garages and offices—far less chance of being spied on by the media if he was there, rather than meandering around alone.

_I was far too rude to Dani and Marc, I must apologise. How could they possibly know my problems, they aren’t mind readers._ He’d known Dani for years, since they were team mates at Repsol. Even though he’d been distant and unfriendly back then, he’d mellowed into a good guy and didn’t deserve ill treatment. Dovi sighed and trudged back towards his motorhome. Maybe a shower would clear his head and he’d be able to make a plan of some sort.

***

A few days later, after the race, Dani stood in the riders’ lounge getting a drink from the dispenser and someone tapped him on the shoulder. He turned to see Dovi, his face somewhat pale.

“Sorry about the other day. I shouldn’t have spoken to you like that,” he said in a low voice, unlike his normal one.

“It’s okay, Dovi. Sorry we interrupted you.”

“And please apologise to Marc, I can’t find him anywhere. And I can’t really handle his enthusiasm right now.”

“Don’t worry. He forgot about it two minutes later. He saw something shiny and got distracted.”

Dovi smiled.

“He’s like a Terminator on track, but can be an airhead off it.” Dani was pleased to raise a laugh from the other man. He’d never seen him so unhappy, he was usually calm and easy-going. “What’s wrong? If you don’t mind me asking.”

The Italian’s brown eyes dulled, but he took Dani’s arm and led him away into the quieter corridor.

“Please don’t spread this around, I know you won’t, but…” He sighed. “My girlfriend has left me.”

Dani raised his eyebrows. “What??”

“She met some musician. She said she’s fed up not knowing if I’ll be dead the next race or not.”

A group of mechanics bustled past, all talking. Dani glared at them. “Come and have coffee with me. Too many people listening around here.”

So they went to Dani’s neat and tidy motorhome where Dovi told him the whole story. His girlfriend was tired of coming second to his racing career, tired of never knowing whether he’d be alive each week, and tired of his constant injuries.

“But you don’t get any more injured than the rest of us. She should know that.” Dani poured another cup of coffee for his guest.

“She just…I dunno. She met this guy, he charmed her. But the worst thing is, she’s taken my daughter. She says she can give her a more stable upbringing than I can.” He put his head in his hands.

“Surely she’ll see reason and let you visit her?”

“I just don’t know.” His voice was quiet and muffled. The Italian wasn’t the liveliest of the riders but he certainly wasn’t as subdued as this normally. 

_I feel powerless. All I can do is listen._ Dani patted his arm and after a while he told him more about the situation, appearing glad of a sympathetic ear.

***

At Le Mans, Dovi was glad to get the race underway as competing took his mind off the situation with his girlfriend—ex girlfriend, or _the bitch_ —as he couldn’t help calling her to himself. 

The exhilaration of the start, the pumping adrenaline and the battle with the other riders—one minute behind Andrea Iannone, then past him, then behind Jorge, Dani, Vale, Marc, Cal and past them, and all of them overtaking him again. Accelerate, brake, gear shift, round the corner, up the straight, over and over again. He pushed his bike and himself harder and harder, surprised to see Jorge, Vale and Marc struggling—was he superhuman today? Or did they just have bike troubles? 

The weather wasn’t good or bad at Le Mans this race but rather in between—not hot or cold, clear or dull but in an annoying, indifferent state of neither. _Like me—I’m becoming indifferent to the taunting of the bitch._ The in between conditions seemed to suit the Ducatis today, however. Iannone was speeding off ahead and surprisingly so was Dani, who for once had got his Honda working better than Marc’s, and Dovi couldn’t catch either of them. He was glad for Dani though— _how kind he’d been to listen to my ramblings at Jerez. He is a good friend, how did I not notice that before?_


	2. Chapter 2

Dani was overjoyed to come second at Le Mans. But his joy paled in comparison to Iannone, who was jumping up and down on the top step like he was on a pogo stick, arms and legs flying. On the other hand, Dovi was standing frozen on the third step, his face pale and his expression distant. Dani wanted to hug him but he didn’t want draw attention to him, as it was a private problem he was dealing with. He was also wary of the leaping Iannone so was forced to just watch his friend pretending to smile and enjoy the occasion.

After the presentation, there was the press conference, then a break for the riders to have quick showers, then more PR engagements and it was hours before they were free to go back to their motorhomes for a break.

Luckily, Dani passed Dovi on their way home and not knowing what to say, just patted his arm.

“Would you like a coffee? I owe you one,” said the Ducati rider, looking even more haggard than he had after the race. Normally riders perked up after resting but he seemed to be even more weary.

“Are you sure? You must be tired.”

“Yes, but I don’t want to be alone.”

So they went back to Dovi’s motorhome. The sink was full of dirty cups, plates, cutlery, there were clothes slung around on the sofas and a stale smell in the air.

“Sorry about the mess.” The Italian hurried round gathering up the clothes and throwing them into his bedroom. Meanwhile, Dani ran the hot water and began washing up.

“What are you doing? I’m supposed to be the host.” Dovi made his guest sit down on the sofa and rushed around making the coffee.

“How’s things?” asked Dani, not sure what else to say.

“If you mean about _her_ , everything is the same. Let’s talk about something else.”

“Okay. Er…do you think Iannone got a jump start?”

He laughed. “Not more than usual. Thought he was going to kick me on the podium though—it was like standing next to a horse.”

They both laughed, then chatted for about an hour about nothing really. Just casual things and Dani was pleased to see his friend relaxing visibly.

“We never talked much when I was at Repsol with you, did we?” he said after a while.

Dani laughed bitterly. “That was because my manager told me not to talk to other riders. I now know that was bullshit. It’s not wrong to talk to your competitors.”

“And we’re older, wiser, blah blah.” They smiled at each other and continued chatting.

***

While Dovi was at home alone one evening, the phone rang and he saw his ex-girlfriend’s name on the screen. His heart sank.

“I wanted you to hear this from me first,” she blurted. “I’m marrying Francesco. He proposed, which is something you never did—”

Dovi tried to protest, but she shushed him, continuing her tirade as his eyes grew wider at everything she said.

“I’ve had enough of being your supporter, I want my own life,” she finished, and ended the call.

He slumped onto the sofa. _She just can’t do that. She just can’t._ His mind blanked at the thought of what she’d told him she was going to do. Not the marriage to Francesco, he’d been so hurt by her behaviour that he didn’t care what she did as regards relationships. But his daughter—his beautiful daughter…

He needed to take his mind off this terrible situation but didn’t know where to turn—there was no one here to talk to and he was too proud to call his family. He liked to keep a calm, unruffled façade and deal with his problems himself. But his life was ruined now—he wandered from this room and that like a lost sheep, wondering what to do and how to feel better. But in the end, he raided his drinks store and drank himself into a stupor, alone at home, and slept where he fell on the sofa.

Waking up the next morning feeling sweaty, hot and smelly, he went to the shower and just stood there letting the hot water wash it all away. Unfortunately, he couldn’t wash away the shock and dread he felt. He had to continue. He had to hold it all together for the next race, slap on a happy face for his team, his rivals, his fans. An idea came to him and took hold. He could always talk to Dani, who had specifically told him this was alright, insisting he could do so whenever he wanted. And he knew Dani hadn’t told anyone else about the situation because he hadn’t suffered any knowing or patronising looks or questions from his team members or the media. _Grande Dani, always there for me._

***

At the next race in Mugello, there was a knock on Dani’s door late the first night, and when he peered out, the sight of Dovi swaying in the doorway, unshaven and tearstained, made his jaw drop.

“Come in, Dovi,” he stammered. His visitor fell over the doorstep and had to be guided to the sofa where he slumped, head in hands.

Dani sat down next to him.

“She’s marrying that prick. She wants him to adopt my daughter and take her away from me. She’s a fucking bitch!” He went off into a drunken rant so all Dani could do was listen…again. He felt helpless…again.

 _But I can make sure he doesn’t get a hangover or sick._ He fetched a jug of water and a glass and kept filling it up, making his guest sip it regularly. God knows what Dovi had been drinking but judging by the fumes he was breathing out, it was strong stuff.

By the time the Ducati rider had stopped talking and his eyelids were drooping, it was nearly 3 a.m. and Dani was struggling to keep his own eyes open. They were both far too tired to struggle back to Dovi’s motorhome so he’d have to stay where he was…but the sofa was far too small. Luckily Dani’s motorhome had three bedrooms so he half dragged, half carried his visitor to the nearest one.

He fell immediately onto the bed fully clothed and Dani didn’t think it would be correct to undress him, so he left him where he was.

 _God, I’m tired. But compared to him, I’m lucky—he’s in a terrible state. How’s he going to ride in the race on Sunday?_ He sat on the bed to think—just for a minute—before going to his own bed.

 

He opened his eyes slowly. _Where am I? The window is in the wrong place—usually it’s on my left but now it’s in front of me. It should be morning but it’s still dark._ He flinched. _Someone is wrapped round my back, snoring in my ear. Who? What?_ He remembered then what happened last night—he had put Dovi to bed after his emotional, drunken outburst and sighed. _Well, it could be worse._

He looked at his watch. It was only 5 a.m. He’d only slept two hours! He felt as if he’d slept a whole night, he was so relaxed. But wearing all his clothes with Dovi draped round him was had made him far too hot and sweaty. He wriggled and luckily his companion muttered something and rolled away.

Dani sat up and peeled his jeans off. _Ugh. I stink now._ He tiptoed into the kitchen to get more water for himself and his guest, and sat down on the bed when he came back. The early morning, the dark before dawn. Lonely and quiet, before the paddock began waking up. He looked at his companion, out cold and snoring.

 

The next time he woke up he felt warm and cosy, he didn’t want to be dragged out of sleep but his leg was cold and no amount of shuffling could get the cover back on. He realised this time he was the big spoon curled round Dovi and it was so comfortable. But then he realised he was only wearing underwear and leapt backwards across the bed. His front cooled immediately and uncomfortably but it wasn’t right to stay cuddling his friend like that.

He tiptoed out and had a shower, enjoying the refreshing water washing the sweat away, but unable to believe it was still only 7 a.m. He felt like he’d had another night’s sleep. It was like Dovi had put a spell on him. A sleeping spell.

When he came out of the bathroom, the Ducati rider was slumped on the sofa, still unshaven and messy haired but a lot pinker in complexion and smiling faintly.

“Your bed’s comfortable. Think I’ll get a motorhome like this, what make is it?” He glanced round at the lounge.

 _Does he remember we were cuddling up last night?_ Dani shifted his weight from foot to foot, wondering what to say.

“That was the best night’s sleep I’ve had for months.” Dovi smiled up at him.

“Yes, me too.”

“Think I’ll stay at this hotel again.” He winked and Dani laughed uncertainly.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (Just to say, I wrote this yesterday before Luis Salom died. Hope its ok to post a humorous chapter right now.)

On a day at home between races, Dovi cycled along a quiet country road in Italy, determined to reach his target of kilometres today, thinking about his night at Dani’s place. It was hard to work out how sleeping that one night there had refreshed him. He hadn’t slept so well since before he received the letter from _her_. He must have been exhausted.

He smiled and cycled up the next hill, unable to think due to the exertion, out of breath with his heart pumping, but while sailing down the other side towards the valley, his thoughts returned. _I pretended I didn’t know Dani fell asleep with me because I didn’t want to embarrass him, but he was the reason I slept so well. He’s a calming presence—that must be it. I even feel hopeful about seeing my daughter again—that woman can’t keep her from me. Maybe her new husband will convince her._

He rode through the valley, past the stream burbling at the side of the road, past the tourists taking photos of the gorgeous view of the verdant hills and past the postman’s van parked by the hedge.

The fresh air and exercise were clearing his brain and exhausting his body so the anger he felt almost constantly was dissipating.

_It’ll soon be the next race—my life is so much better at the tracks than it is when I’m at home, I’ll focus on track life. If I can have one night’s peace and quiet sleeping in a friend’s bed instead of going over and over my problems all night, I will._

***

From then on, at every track Dovi came round to Dani’s the first night for a chat, a meal and a good night’s sleep. They parked their motorhomes as close as possible without arousing suspicion from Ducati and Honda, but it was so natural. He would bring a takeaway from the circuit restaurant—nothing too fancy because they were obviously both on racing diets, so it would be a healthy, wholesome meal. Dani would buy or borrow a DVD, such as Captain America: The Winter Soldier, and they’d watch that after dinner.

Usually they’d start watching the movie, fall asleep on the sofa together and wake up if there was a loud battle scene or even right at the end when the credits rolled. So they often thought they’d watched a movie but wouldn’t actually know what happened.

Dovi talked intermittently about the situation with his girlfriend and daughter, but slowly this tailed off and he began talking about other subjects, even laughing about things rather than being miserable.

Waking up on the sofa with a stiff neck or back was not ideal of course, so after they hadn’t watched the movie, Dovi would say, “can I stay in the usual room?”

Dani would say, “of course!”

“Will you be joining me? I sleep better with you.”

And they’d go off to the bedroom and sleep the night there, both getting the best night’s sleep for the duration of the whole race week. Other nights alone wouldn’t be as restful, for some reason.

 

After a few months of this, one evening Dovi texted him.

_What shall I get to eat tonight? I’m sick of the circular restaurants, they are all the same._

_Circular restaurants?_

_CIRCUIT. Damn Autoerect. ***AUTOCORRECT_

_Haha! Well how about pizza? I can order one in._

_What? I’m Italian, I don’t eat ready-made puzzles! How about I make you a proper one? PIZZAS. Not puzzles. Fucking phone_

_Ok. Make me a proper puzzle ;)_

Dani was laughing by now. _If his texting is that bad, what on earth will his pizza be like?_

 

The Italian turned up that evening with two carrier bags full of food and started making the base on the counter by the stove—mixing and kneading it before leaving it to rise for an hour before cooking. Dani just watched with his mouth open.

“Don’t just sit there, come and chop these onions,” ordered his friend, so Dani obediently followed directions, his eyes watering with the onion vapours, making Dovi laugh loudly.

“You never chopped an onion before?”

“No—yes—I don’t know!”

Eventually the base was ready and they arranged the onions, tomatoes, two types of cheese, artichoke, olives, ham and mushrooms on it.

“It’s a Quattro Stagioni—it’s got everything on, because I didn’t know what you liked.” 

Dani sighed in delight. “It’s perfect. Just what I wanted. And I got the latest X Men movie.”

“That sounds a good one to fall asleep in front of.” Dovi laughed. “Maybe we’ll wake up with mutant powers.”


	4. Chapter 4

The MotoGP season had a month’s holiday built into it, where the riders took a break for a while, all exhausted. Dovi went back home to his large, modern house with the huge windows and balcony overlooking the beautiful countryside. He was used to his house being empty these days, apart from his family visiting. It was awful not to have his daughter running round singing and dancing, but at least the quiet was a break from the intrusive fans following him everywhere—normally he didn’t mind but at the moment they were too much for him.

He’d made some kind of life in this house now as a single man, determined to keep in touch with his daughter through her mother and determined not to get bitter and twisted, which would only make the situation worse.

To his surprise, his ex-girlfriend phoned him every night to discuss it all. A few months ago he’d have thought that was a sign she wanted him back, but he cared less and less these days. He didn’t want her upsetting him with her hot and cold, on and off behaviour. However beautiful she was, he needed a calm person as a contrast to his stressful racing career.

That night she phoned and began a long monologue as usual.

“What?” he interrupted. “Are you serious?” He couldn’t believe what he was hearing but it was wonderful. “Can you repeat that?”

After the phone call ended, he sat for a long while, just grinning and going over in his mind what she had told him. _What can I do to celebrate?_ Lost in thought, he stretched his hand out across the caramel brown, suede sofa and his fingers touched something hard. He looked across to see a new, unwrapped DVD of Captain America: The Winter Soldier which he’d bought months ago and never unwrapped. He burst out laughing. _Maybe that’s how I should celebrate—actually watch it without falling asleep. Then I can tell Dani what happens._

He went to fetch a bottle of Pinot Grigio and poured it into one of his finest quality glasses, one that rang when he flicked it with his fingernail, and settled down to watch the DVD, exhaling with relief.

This time he stayed awake for the whole movie, but there was a cold space next to him on the sofa. And when he went off to bed, it was big and cold. He cuddled up under his duvet, happily waiting for sleep to wrap him in its warm embrace after the good news of earlier. But sleep didn’t come for hours. Because Dani wasn’t there.

***

Dani had been so looking forward to going to see his parents and brother Eric, and being pampered. His mother fussed over him and gave him breakfast in bed, his father always had some kind of craft project he wanted help with, such as building a cabinet, and his brother liked going out cycling or surfing with him. It was just the change of scene he needed, with no media poking cameras in his face, no behind-the-scenes politics, and no crowds of people hassling him for autographs.

One morning, he stretched in his bed as the mid-morning sunlight fell across the floor of his room. It was a double bed, far too big for one person. But he didn’t want to think about that.

A brief knock at the door, then Eric bounded in.

“Come on, you lazy prick, let’s go surfing.” He glanced at the calendar on Dani’s wall, on which he’d been crossing off the days. “Jeez, you’ve really still got the passion for racing, haven’t you? Aren’t you enjoying having a break from it?”

Dani sat up. “Oh yes, but you know me. I like things to be neat and tidy.” He didn’t tell his brother the other reason he was keen to get back to racing was so he could—what? Spend the nice evenings with Dovi again? Was that it?

Eric looked at him blankly. “Come on, get up.” 

So he did as he was told, punching his little brother on the arm as he went past towards the shower.

They spent a relaxed day surfing at their local beach—the only uncomfortable part of the day was when Dani heard someone speaking Italian and turned round so quickly that he fell off his surfboard, making his brother laugh uncontrollably.

The holiday went slower and slower after that, each day seeming endless. Normally Dani didn’t mind that at all, he liked not having a strict timetable to work to for a change, but this time…something wasn’t right.


	5. Chapter 5

At last it was mid-August and time for Sachsenring, the first race after the summer holiday. It felt like a new dawn for Dovi. His life was falling into place. He’d come back to racing, his personal life was sorted out—well, the part of it that mattered. He just wanted to tell Dani all about it now.

He hurried through his pre-race responsibilities, talking to the press, his team, his mechanics. Even Iannone seemed more approachable these days, embracing him when they met.

“So, we will fight the Yamahas and Hondas again, Dovi, my friend?” he asked with a smile. “Show them who’s boss?”

“Yes, for sure. As long as you don’t act like a kicking horse on the podium again.”

Iannone burst into loud laughter. “Are you saying I’ll beat you to the top step again?”

“No way. Never.” Dovi punched him lightly on the arm and turned to leave. He’d noticed Dani in the distance a few times and thought he’d seen him heading to his motorhome. He strode off to try and catch him.

***

Dani felt something was keeping him away from Dovi. He kept seeing him in the distance and giving a wave but then one of them would be dragged off by a PR employee, an engineer, their team boss or someone else. Dani ground his teeth. _It will all settle down soon and get back to normal. Be patient._

At last he came face to face with his friend by the motorhomes—hardly a place to talk with all the people milling round though.

“How’s things, Dovi?” he asked as usual.

“Really good! My girlfriend has backed down, she’s split up with the musician guy and she lets me see my daughter whenever I want. She came to stay with me during the holidays. I’m so happy!” He hugged Dani, who awkwardly hugged him back, then said, “I’m sorry, I have to go and see my engineer. See you later.”

It was obvious that he was happier—he didn’t look so haggard, he’d shaved so his beard was neater and his eyes were lit up again, rather than dull and muted.

_So, that’s it then. He’s back with his girlfriend, he’s got his happy family back. I should be really happy for him. Why aren’t I?_

Dani went through a logical list of reasons. _One, we won’t be having our evenings again, which I loved. Two…what is two? There isn’t any other reason. Unless…unless…I’m jealous._ He tried to push that thought away as quickly as possible. _I know. Third reason—I was just there for Dovi when he needed me. He needed a friend. No matter how nice it was sharing a bed with him, it was just a time in his life he needed to be comforted so that’s what I did._

He sighed and went back to his motorhome.

***

Dovi was frustrated that he’d had to go off to talk to his engineer just as he was about to tell Dani the full story. But that didn’t matter, he could catch up with him tonight, it was the first evening back and that was what they did every first evening at a track—a meal, a DVD and a sleep. He got through the meeting in automatic mode, one part of his brain on the technical side of his bike, the other thinking of this evening. _I’ll make another of my famous pizzas and we can celebrate. Yes. That’s the answer._

After the meeting, Dovi went out shopping with two members of his entourage. He bought far too many the ingredients—tomatoes, mushroom, pepper, basil leaves, olives, prosciutto, mozzarella, artichoke hearts—but he didn’t care. It would be a massive pizza but he wanted the last piece of the jigsaw to fit into place. When he’d hugged Dani, he’d known that.

“So, Dovi, what are you making with all this?” asked Aldo, a smiling grey haired mechanic with weathered features.

“The best pizza ever.”

Aldo and Pietro, the dark haired younger man from PR, made approving noises. “For a special meal?” Pietro asked.

“Yes.”

“For a special lady, eh?” They nudged each other.

Dovi just smiled mysteriously, which only encouraged his companions to make further suggestive noises and whisper to each other. He had to put up with them doing that all through the shopping trip but at least they meant to be encouraging. He was busy with his own thoughts anyway. _So, a few months ago I thought my life was over. My daughter was being taken further and further away from me, I was drinking myself into a stupor and my fitness was suffering. But now I can see my daughter whenever I like, without her irritating mother, and make pizzas and sleep in bed with whoever I like._

He laughed aloud, to the confusion of Aldo and Pietro.


	6. Chapter 6

Later that night, someone knocked on Dani’s door and he trudged to answer it. _It must be Marc, he always likes to catch up after the holiday._

But a much more welcome figure stood on the doorstep, grinning, two carrier bags in one hand and a bottle of wine in the other.

“Wh-what are you doing here, Dovi?”

“Don’t you want to have our usual evening?” His grin faltered.

“B-but aren’t you back together with your girlfriend? Isn’t she here?”

Dovi screwed up his face. “No! That bitch. She still cheated on me, I’m not letting her hurt me again. We’re just polite to each other now for the sake of our daughter.”

Dani grinned this time.

“Shall I make you another pizza? I’ve got all the stuff here.” He lifted the carrier bags and Dani led him inside the motorhome and flung his arms round him. The Italian dropped the bag and bottle and hugged him back, then gazed down at him. For a terrifying, exhilarating moment, Dani thought he was going to kiss him on the mouth, but instead he kissed him on both cheeks.

 

Dovi stood by the stove, stirring the saucepan with whatever magic ingredients he’d put in there. He had a thoughtful, faraway expression on his face and Dani sat just watching him, spellbound. He hadn’t been expecting visitors, so was only wearing a scruffy t-shirt and casual leisure trousers. Due to this, he had to put a cushion on his lap as he watched—jeans were better at suppressing inconvenient bulges but he couldn’t really go and change now without looking strange.

“There, it’s ready.” Dovi looked up and smiled. “Come and taste it.” Dani edged over to his side and peered into the saucepan at the tomato mixture—the aromatic smell enveloped him, and the steam soaked his face.

He looked up and Dovi put a spoon of sauce in his mouth. Well, in the direction of his mouth through the steam.

“Oh, sorry, I missed.” Before Dani could dab the sauce off by himself, his friend wiped it off with his thumb. And before Dani could stop himself, he sucked Dovi’s thumb into his mouth and bit it gently.

A flash of panic paralysed his mind and his heart pounded until he feared it would burst out of his chest. _What did I do that for? What am I doing? What’s he thinking?_

They stared at each other for a moment, then Dovi leant forward and kissed him on the mouth. He tasted of sauce, he’d obviously been sampling his own cooking, but there was enough of his own taste to make Dani’s heart beat even faster. He kissed him back, opening his mouth and their tongues twined together, teeth clashing and they pressed against each other, stumbling backwards towards the sofa.

At the last minute, Dovi turned so he fell back with the Spaniard on top of him, still kissing with fingers tangling in each other’s hair.

“I couldn’t sleep without you last month,” gasped Dovi between kisses. “I couldn’t do anything without you.”

Dani gazed at him, at the wide darkness of his eyes and gentle smile.

“Good. I don’t want you to.” He kissed Dovi, every part of their bodies pressed against each other. From all their nights sleeping together, Dani knew how his body was put together—longer and more angular than his own but now he was allowed to touch him, push against him, stroke him. He never wanted to stop but as always in the busy paddock, someone hammered on the front door.

“Ignore it.” Dovi stroked his hair and gazed into his eyes.

“I can’t, it sounds important.” Dani sighed and moved reluctantly off his lover. _My lover. How long have I been thinking of him like that?_ He smiled as he headed towards the door.

“Open the door, your motorhome is on fire!” shouted a voice.

“Oh shit, the sauce!” Dovi struggled up from the sofa, rearranged himself and stumbled across to the kitchen, where smoke was belching through the window from the almost dried up saucepan, as the breeze was blowing that way. He turned off the heat and pulled the fire blanket from the wall as Dani answered the door.

“Dani, come out of there!” said Marc, his eyes wide with fear. He tried to pull his team mate out of the door but he resisted.

“I’m fine, it’s just my food burning.”

“You burn food all the time—you need cooking lessons!”

“Tell him your hotness set the place on fire,” said Dovi from the kitchen.

Dani flapped at him to be quiet.

“Who’s that?” asked Marc.

“Who’s what? Oh, just the television.”

Marc raised his eyebrows, but Dani didn’t care if he didn’t believe him. “See you later. Ciao, amico.” He pushed him away from the door and shut it firmly.

Dovi had brought the smoke under control and was putting the pizza together. “Così, si parla italiano?” He laughed.

“Si. Dormirai con me?” Dani blushed.

He laughed again, but rather more dirtily. “Isn’t that what we’ve been doing for the last few months?” He put the pizza in the oven.

“Well, there’s sleeping and _sleeping_.” 

They gazed at each other for a long moment, then the aspiring chef stopped clearing up the mess, hurried over and kissed him passionately. 

“Just one thing,” he gasped when they stopped to catch their breath. “Please, please call me Andrea. I am so tired of being Dovi.”

“Of course, Andrea!”

Then they scampered hand in hand to the bedroom.

***

They fell back on their bed—it was _their bed_ , after all this time—with Dani on top, his previously inconvenient trousers now showing perfectly how much he wanted this. They kissed, the Spaniard’s face soft against Andrea’s scratchy beard.

He pulled off Dani’s t-shirt and Dani did the same with his, then they paused to admire each other. “Mm, I could eat you,” Andrea growled.

“Promises, promises.” Dani kissed him then rolled off so they were facing each other, looking into each other’s dark eyes, stroking hot, defined muscles, then kissing messily, tongues and teeth clashing.

Dani’s loose trousers were easy to slide off but Andrea’s jeans presented more of a challenge. Luckily they had a button fly, which was much easier to undo around his straining erection and it popped out as Dani wrenched his jeans off. They giggled, then groaned as their hard cocks rubbed against each other and Dani put his hand round both, squeezing them together and stroking up and down, making his lover moan. Andrea put his hand round them too and they worked in unison, completely lost in the moment, hot bodies grinding against each other, not caring about the level of noise they were making, the groans and gasps.

They both came within seconds of each other, the hot stickiness pulsing out everywhere, over hands, bodies, the bed. Laughing and panting, they hugged.

“Why didn’t we do this months ago?” Andrea kissed him gently on the lips.

Dani looked away. “You weren’t in the right place, mentally. Neither was I, in fact.”

“Well, I am now. I’m in exactly the right place.” He pulled him back on top, all the sweat and cum squishing between their naked bodies. “There, we are stuck together forever,” he said, stroking Dani’s back.

“Good. You can make me a pizza every day.” He smiled, wiping his hand on the bed so he could run it through his lover’s hair.

“Every day?! We’ll get fat as pigs.”

“No we won’t. Not if we do this all the time, as well as racing.”

Andrea pretended to consider this. “Hm…I think I could live with that.”

“Me too.”

“Or we could go out for dinners?”

“Yes, I’d like that.”

“But now, let’s go and eat today’s pizza before it burns and Fireman Marc knocks on the door again.”

*  
*  
*  
*

THE END...for now :)

**Author's Note:**

> What happened before Dinner Date.
> 
> All this is made up, especially the bit about Iannone winning a race… ;)
> 
> Many apologies to Dovi’s girlfriend, I’m sure she’s lovely in real life.
> 
> Funny, I thought Dovi was a calm, sensible guy but things I’ve been reading about him lately made me realise he’s not, he’s a bit naughty!


End file.
